Curiouser and Curiouser
By Flaming Trails
A Vampire Doc Chronicle
Disclaimer: I don't own BTTF. If I did -- I'd probably still be thinking about Doc with Ock's tentacles. Damn.
Chapter 1
Thursday, February 19th, 1987
Hill Valley
3:04 P.M.
"Doc. Doc. Doc!"
"What?"
"Doc, you're driving me crazy. Either stop pacing, or start climbing the walls for real so I can get the image out of my head."
Doc stopped his restless movement and looked at his best friend, seated against the wall, his tie pulled loose. "I'm sorry, Marty," he sighed. "I'm just so very nervous."
"You must be. I haven't seen you like this since you went on that first date with Mystie."
Doc ran his fingers through his hair. "I know. Great Scott, that seems like ages ago. And now -- I'm going to marry her. After one year, two months, two weeks, five days, and 20 hours of being engaged, I'm tying the knot with her."
Marty smirked. "Mystie's going to love you on anniversaries. I always remember mine and Jennifer's at the last minute." He got up and put a hand on Doc's shoulder, keeping his friend from starting a fresh bout of pacing. "But you really have to relax, Doc. Anyone who saw you like this might think you didn't want to marry her."
"I do, I do! I'm in love. Really and truly in love. I'm merely scared as hell about it." He shook his head, staring down at himself in his black pants and jacket and white dress shirt. "A husband. At my age."
"Hell, Mysteria's older than you, and she's gonna be a wife," Marty reminded him.
Doc smiled. "Completely true." He finally sat down, trying to will himself to be calm. "You've got the rings, right?"
"Right here, Doc," Marty assured him. He pulled them out of his right pocket and took a close look. "A Love Past Forever. How'd you come up with that?"
Doc's eyes got a far away, lovey-dovey look. "It just came to me at the beginning of the week. I knew it was the perfect phrase to put on the rings." He came back to Earth. "I just hope Mysteria likes it."
"You didn't tell her?"
"It's a surprise. Very romantic, no?"
Marty grinned. "You bet, Doc."
There was a knock at the door. "Can we come in?" asked Louis's voice. "We're getting bored out here."
"The more the merrier. I could use the company."
Louis, James, Matt, and George all filtered in, dressed to the nines. "This thing itches," Mat complained, scratching his neck. "I don't see why we should wear tuxes if the groom himself isn't."
"Stop whining. This is a wedding, and we have to look our best." Louis flashed Doc a fanged grin. "How does it feel to be on the verge of matrimony?"
"Hot. Very hot," Doc admitted, wiping away the sweat on his brow. "This marriage is going to truly be for forever. How do you make a marriage last forever?"
"Don't ask me, Doc, I'm not even married yet."
"And we're mostly lifelong bachelors," James nodded, nibbling his nails. "Except for Louis -- you got married once, right?"
"Ugh, you do not want to mention my marriage here," Louis said, his face growing dark. "It'll be bad luck. That was a living hell." He noticed Doc's wide-eyed, frightened look. "See, now we've scared him."
"Marriage a living hell?" Doc repeated, his voice almost a squeak.
"It was a mistake I made a long time ago. You shouldn't be worrying about it."
Doc abruptly laughed. "I know, and I'm trying to be calm. Damn it, I really doput the 'sick' in 'lovesick,' don't I?"
"Don't be too hard on yourself. I bet Mysteria is just as nervous," George said, pulling at his tie.
"I highly doubt that," Doc snorted. "This is all Mysteria could talk about for weeks. Or have you forgotten the almost constant sessions between your wife and my fiancee?" George couldn't say anything to that. "I bet she can't wait to get started."
Meanwhile. . . .
"I can't go through with this."
Jennifer stared at Mystie in disbelief. "You can't marry Doc?"
"No. Not in public at least." She fussed with her veil for no particular reason. "I have so many butterflies in my stomach, it's a wonder I'm not levitating."
"Oh, relax, Myst," Natalie said with a big smile, sitting beside her. "This is going to be the best day of your life!"
"How do youknow? You've never been married!"
"Oh, I've attended my fair share of weddings. And trust me, the bride is usually smiling."
"She's right," Gerry nodded in agreement, standing by the mirror. "The day you get married, everything is right with the world."
"No offense, Gerry, but that isn't much comfort coming from a divorced woman." Mystie stared at her reflection. "I'm gonna be a bride. At 323, I'm going to be a BRIDE."
"Deep breaths, Mystie, deep breaths," Jennifer said.
Lorraine entered the room, having left to check on things outside. She beamed as she looked at Mysteria. "Mystie, you look simply gorgeous."
"Do I?" Mysteria looked down at the dress, snow white with a line of hearts and bows in blood red embroidery on the bottom. "Do I really?"
"Divine," Nataile said.
"Wonderful," Jennifer agreed.
"Dr. Brown's going to drool all over himself when he sees it," Gerry grinned.
"Gerry!" Mysteria laughed. "It's our wedding day, for Christ's sake!"
"Well, you really do look beautiful."
Jennifer ran her hand down the layers of fabric, a dreamy look in her eyes. "You guys did such a great job on this dress." Heck, Mystie, I'd kinda like to steal it and keep it until I get married to Marty.
Mysteria grinned at her weakly. Easy now, Jen. You and Marty are still only 18. You have plenty of time to steal my dress. Jennifer giggled, nodding. Mystie rolled her eyes and finally sat down. "Anything from the 'words of wisdom' department for me, Lorraine?" she asked, her eyes pleading. "I could use some tips."
"You just have to enjoy yourself. I was panicking at my wedding too, but it all turned out for the best. Often those moments that seem the most embarrassing will turn out to be your favorite thing about the wedding."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Lorraine sat down next to her, putting a hand on hers. "When George and I got married, he mixed up one of the vows, and I ended up making the same mistake. We were both mortified at the time, but after almost 30 years of marriage, it seems rather cute. That'swhat I mean."
Mystie nodded, squeezing her hand. "30 years. . . . Suddenly that sounds like such a long time. I hope by then I can look back on this in the same happy light."
"I'm sure you will, honey. After all, you're marrying the man you love."
"Listen," Gerry said, leaning toward her, "here's the only tip you need. Don't think of the wedding, baby. Think of the honeymoon."
Mysteria giggled and turned bright red. "Well -- ahh -- why don't we just bring on the ceremony?"
Back in Doc's room, 3:10 P.M.
Doc checked his watches. "Great Scott, 3:10 already?! I've got five minutes left as a bachelor, then I become a married man." He got and began pacing again. "How did all this marriage business start, anyway? Back in caveman days, there was no such thing as marriage. You sized your mate up on reproductive capability, and if she fit the bill, you went at it."
"Doc!"
"Sorry. But it's true. Marriage is an artificial construct of civilization."
Matt smirked. "Well, if that's the way you're looking at it, don't think of the wedding. Think of the honeymoon."
Doc got a rather dopey smile on his face at that. "Oh. I feel better now."
"Doooc," Marty pleaded, turning bright red. "I really don't want to know."
"That's a very nice set-up you've got out there," George said, changing the subject for his son's benefit. "With the arch and the flowers."
"Mystie deserves most of the credit," Doc said with a shrug. "She initially wanted a church wedding, but I talked her out of it. It felt hypocritical to me, as neither of us are very religious."
"Plus, what self-respecting minister would let the gang from Darkness Falls into a church," Matt teased.
"Or marry two vampires," James added, chuckling.
Louis glared at them. "That's rather rude, you know," he said icily. "I've been friends with many members of the church."
"Jesus, Louis, we were just teasing."
"It's all in the past," Doc said, hoping to keep the peace. "We found a Justice of the Peace to marry us, so we're all set. Then, after the ceremony, it's off to Hawaii for a couple of weeks."
George whistled. "Very romantic, but sounds expensive."
"Ah, who cares, it's my honeymoon. After all, the wedding isn't costing that much -- a rented room at Oak Park's Recreation Center, a reception back at Darkness Falls -- we should be allowed to splurge on that. Didn't you do something similar when you married Lorraine?"
"Well, yeah, but ours was a bust, unfortunately. Our friends say it's the worst honeymoon they've ever heard of in Hill Valley."
"Why, what happened?" asked Doc, getting nervous again.
"Rain. It poured throughout our whole honeymoon. We were basically trapped in our hotel room."
"Damn. I guess we should make some quick plans for inclement weather after the ceremony."
"Come on, when are you going to notice the weather?" James said mischievously. Marty groaned and put his head in his hands. "Sorry."
"It's okay. It's just -- well, it's kinda like hearing about my parents -- ya know."
That's not how you dealt with it back when we visited 1855.
Trust me, Doc, I would have stopped you if you'd said anything more. I just had to needle you a little then.
Doc nodded, then checked his watch. "3:12." He stood up, looking a tad weak-kneed. Marty and George helped steady him. Doc smiled at them both, then took a deep breath. "Let's go."
Thursday, February 19th
3:15 P.M.
It was time. The guests were all settled in on their folding chairs. The Justice of the Peace stood in the arch at the front, looking like a groom himself in his black suit. Doc stood before him, glancing around nervously. The room was quite lovely, decorated with white streamers, white and red roses grouped along the aisle and woven into the arch, and red wedding balloons hanging from the ceiling. Doc had to admit, the girls had done a nice job. Still, I really wish I was out of here and just married,he thought, fiddling with his coat.
And then -- Mystie appeared, holding a bouquet of white roses with shaky hands. Their eyes met, and suddenly Doc didn't feel nervous at all. He and Mysteria smiled at each other as she made her way down the aisle. Doc had to take her into his arms as she reached him. "You look beautiful," he whispered.
"Thanks. You're so handsome." She gave his clothes a quick once-over. "Although it's funny not to see you dressed up in something more colorful."
Doc chuckled. "While we're on the subject, are the bows supposed to have fangs?" Mystie could only giggle and nod.
After an embrace, the pair turned and faced the Justice of the Peace, Marty and Jennifer beaming on either side. "Friends, we are here today to witness the marriage of Miss Mysteria Lilith Jones and Doctor Emmett Lathrop Brown. The couple have informed me they have written their own vows, so. . . ." He stepped back and nodded to the couple.
Doc turned to Mystie. "Do you want me to go first?" Mystie nodded. "All right." He cleared his throat. "Mysteria Jones, I love you. Ever since you entered my life, I've been on Cloud Nine. I love you more than words can say. I promise to love and honor you for the rest of my life. I promise you everything that I own, everything that I am. Even the blood in these veins is yours." There were a few soft snickers from the vampire guests. Doc turned to Marty and got the rings. "I want to be with you for eternity, Mysteria." He slid the ring onto her finger.
Mysteria sniffed as she gazed into his liquid chocolate eyes. "Emmett Brown, I love you too. You've brought so much to my life, things no other man could. I promise to love and honor you for the rest of my life. I'll stand by you forever, through thick and thin." She slid his ring onto his finger. "I could never love anyone else the way I love you. I'm so happy I'm your bride."
The Justice stepped forward again with a kindly smile. "Well then, by the power vested in me by the state of California and the town of Hill Valley, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."